WhereThehellisMurph, 3 Wheels, 7 Continents, 7 Years

[WheresMurph]

I had not heard of the Super Rally ® before now, but I did know that the H-D clubs are just as big in the EU as they are back in the U.S., if not bigger.
I hadn't planned to go, as is usual with most of my journey so far, but at the last minute I thought well, what the hell, get out of the tent and all that, may as well go.
Ad, the owner of LBS Sidecars in Elsendorp where I'm staying until my sidecar is built, was going with his brother and some friends, so since Monday was a holiday in Europe I figured I may as well go also. All told, it was only a 500km/300 ml ride for us, so it wouldn't put a big hole in my wallet since I'm still in shock from my first European gas tank fill up on the bike.
My first European gas tank fill up came in at .......wait for it .......***drum roll*** ......$110 !!. I know, $110 to fill a gas tank on a motorcycle, I mean really?. Granted, I do have the extra large tank on the bike, 11.5 gls, the stock tank was an 8 gl, but it too would still be in the region of $80 to fill up. But $110 just dam near gave me a stroke right there at the gas station, I mean my trip nearly ended before it had even begun. I knew the price of gas before I got to Europe, but it's one thing to know about it, and another thing altogether to actually shell out the cash for $10 a gallon gas. My '04 BMW 1150 GS gets about 35-40 miles to the gallon, but once the sidecar is built, that will be cut it half, so I'll nearly be into car mileage territory.


The German Autobahn, the longest public racetrack in the world.









These images and more on the latest blog entry on my website HERE

[WheresMurph]

So, an interesting and eclectic mix at this years Super Rally in Ballenstedt, Germany.



The Bandidos, one of the 1% Outlaw MC Clubs here in Europe, were here for only one evening, they were escorted in, all 700 or so of them, under a Police Escort, a procession nearly a mile long down a narrow country road, it looked so out of place, totally surreal. But they came, played nice, and left later that evening under the same heavy police escort to the outskirts of town. No one died.

To wear those two letters, "MC' (Motorcycle Club), on your clubs patch or your motorcycle jacket over here is not taken lightly. It's not like the U.S. where Joe Weekend Warrior can put his Joe Warrior MC on his jacket and get away with it, over here colors and MC's are for the Outlaw clubs only, they've gotten a lot more relaxed about it, but it still can get you in a lot of trouble, especially in Holland, if you wear it without prior approval of the Local MC Club chapter.







The Government in Holland is trying to ban MC Clubs, that's how serious they are, if your a MC Club member, they're pulling your driver licence.
Just 3 days before the Super Rally there was a big police raid on the Hells Angels that culminated in many arrests and a HA no show at the event.




But it wasn't all Outlaws, there were plenty of people just there to listen to music, drink good German beer, eat good German food and have a great time, which they all did from what I saw.

These, and another 45 photos ( it's a 52 image post) can be seen on my Blog here

Thank you all for stopping by, and please feel free to leave a comment, I do appreciate feedback, or even questions, since many of the places I'm now getting to I know that some people haven't yet travelled to.
I'd be glad of the company :-)


Murph

[Ray Hyland]

I liked the video Murph, not stiff at all.

Also loved the desaturated shot of the bikes.

Ray

[WheresMurph]

Thanks for commenting Ray, appreciate it.

Murph.

[samguert]

Nice thread! Nice pics! Keep posting more please

[WheresMurph]

Hi Sam and thanks. Glad you like. A big post, 65 images, is just up on my website and some pics from it I will put up here later today.

Regards,

Murph

[WheresMurph]

Toon van Houtert, one of the founders of the Diomage Sidecar Run for handicapped people.

Toon was the person who started the Diomage Sidecar Run 11 years ago....they've been doing it every year since.
The members of the Kleppenjagers MC (Valve Chasers in English) used to do similar runs in Belgium and some other countries helping the handicapped, so Toon decided to try to help those closer to home. Across the street from his house was the Diomage House, so Toon went over and started discussions with them on how the Kleppenjagers could help them and the handicapped, and the Diomage Sidecar Run was born.



This year was the first time in 11 years the weather was not co-operating, but nonetheless 72 sidecarists still showed up to help put a smile on peoples faces.







While my sidecar is being built use the LBS Sidecars Dakar outfit, another BMW 1150 GS with a Stern RX sidecar.
My charge for the days outing seemed not to be bothered with the fact that it was cold and wet.








The route that Toon designed was such a beautiful ride, even in the rain. Were it a sunny day, it would of been spectacular.
This is a 65 image post, so to see the full article on the Diomage Sidecar run, please visit my blog at www.Wherethehellismurph.com OR just click HERE

Thanks for stopping by and have the day of your choice.


Murph.

[WheresMurph]

[/CENTER]


[/CENTER]
It's week 2 of the conversion of my 2004 1150 GS Adventure to a 2 Wheel Drive sidecar.
Things are moving a little slowly, but moving. On this weeks post on my blog I go into a little backstory of the how and why I ended up here in Holland building a 2 Wheel Drive sidecar to begin with.



These, more images and the post can be seen HERE

Thanks for stopping by and have the day of your choice.


Murph.[/CENTER]

[WheresMurph]

July 1st, 2012

Good morning all from Holland. Since my motorcycle is on blocks so to speak, I have been bicycling quite a bit and taking advantage of the thousands of miles of bicycle paths here in the Netherlands.
Idyllic, scenic, romantic, charming and wonderfully calming it is, especially after the week I had.
Cycling in the Netherlands is big, accounting for approximately 27% of all journeys nationwide and up to 60% of all trips in it's cities. I have been a cyclist, competitive and pleasure, since I was a teenager, and if I could find a way to put a bike rack on my new sidecar outfit and find a not too large tour/terrain hybrid bicycle, I would attach it as part of the outfit and my travels, as there have been MANY occasions where I was in camp for 1 or 2 weeks and a bicycle would have been an ideal way to get around, not to mention a great way to stay in shape on the road.

Some interesting facts about cycling here in the Netherlands:
Bicycle helmets are hardly ever worn in the Netherlands, and also other places with much bicycle traffic, cyclists and the government consider them unecessary and there is no "Bicycle Helmet Law".
One of the reasons in part ( just my observations ) is that the majority of car drivers are also cyclists, so I believe that they ( car drivers ) are much more aware of cyclists and their vulnerability.
They also have a "Strict Liability" supportd law in the Netherlands, leading to a drivers insurance being deemed responsible in a collision between a car and a bicycle.
Another factor is the City and Town limited access parking for cars, which is decreasing over time, the result is more, much more bicycle use.
Even the over 65 age group make nearly a quarter of their journeys by bicycle here.

Many of you may have already seen Pt II of my BMW Duo-Drive Sidecar Conversion posted here, so there's no need to repost it.
Since then, as I was coming down the stairs, I slipped, fell and I dropped my 17" Macbook and watched it fall, on edge, onto the tile floor 8 steps below.
so i'm now looking at a $1200 repair. If you would like to help, I am selling a 3 sticker set on my website. Any and all help is appreciated.
Fortunately, I had 15" Macbook back in the US at Apple for a warranty repair ( which is why I decided to buy a second Macbook, you ALWAYS need a backup ) and it arrived last night at the FedEx facility in Eindhoven

, but it was not without a little drama, just for effect and to keep me on my toes.
1 day prior I had recieved a letter from FedEx stating that the laptop had arrived, and I could come and pick it up as soon as I paid the 400 Euros (approx $550)

V.A.T., the European form of tax, currently at 19% here in the Netherlands, soon to be 21%. So after I picked myself up off the ground I made a call to FedEx and fortunately for me, I got connected to Paul, a VERY helpful and knowledgeable FedEx customs employee, who made it a whole lot easier for me to to retrieve it without paying V.A.T, as Holland is WELL known for being a bureaucratic nightmare to try to navigate through.
Paul, if you ever get to read this here on the Expedition Portal, many thanks again.
I did however, have to submit documentation and proof that I was here on vacation, and that the Macbook was purchased by me in the US, which was not a problem, it's all documented, in order to be exempt from paying V.A.T.. I guess they thought that it was a new laptop coming into Holland, so they government wanted their cut.
Note to self "Keep ALL documentation, no matter how insignificant it may seem, ESPECIALLY when on a 7 year Round the World trip".





Part III of the build will be coming next week here on Expedition Portal.
Until then, thanks for stopping by and have the day of your choice.......

Murph.

[WheresMurph]

In this new series of images that I have just started on my blog called
"Murph's Holland,The Bicycle Shots", I set myself an assignment of only shooting what I see from my morning bicycle rides while here in the Netherlands.

The mill in Milheeze, the Netherlands.
Called "Laurentia", this mill was built in 1890, and is one of the 1100 + working mills in the Netherlands today.
There are over 4,000 Windmills in the Netherlands, but the Dutch only count complete working mills for their database.

Willibrordus Church in Bakel.

You can read the complete post of "Murph's Holland, The Bicycle Diaries Pt I" HERE


Murph